Falling
by cubicslady
Summary: Batgirl get's hurt on a mission and Nightwing feels responsible. Trying to get over his guilt, he remembers something Batman told him a long time ago. Dick can't help but find comfort in Batman's words and Barbara's arms.


"_Dick. Why do we fall?"_

Nightwing lazily sat on the ledge of a building, remembering the time his mentor had asked him this question. It had been his first mission (or was it his second? Third?) and he had just made what seemed to be the biggest mistake of his life. Of course, not as big as the one he had just made only a few hours ago. How could he have been so stupid? The safety of his team, his friends, had been his responsibility. He should have made sure...he should have done...whatever, he knew he could've prevented it! He was on the mission with her, he saw Batgirl get shot, he could have done something more. He closed his eyes from the view of what could be seen on top of this building.

_Robin angrily looked away from the wall he had just punched and to his master's cold blue eyes._

"Nightwing, really, you don't have to stay in here with me." Batgirl had chimed after a long silence. Nightwing looked up from where he had been gazing out the window. She had her shoulder patched up from...from the shot. Nightwing cleared his throat, the look on her face as the bullet went through her was stuck in his mind.  
"I just wanted to make sure you are okay."  
Batgirl smiled, giggling a little bit. Despite himself, Nightwing started to feel himself smile with her. Walking over, he grabbed her hand.  
"Well, obviously, I'm fine. The Team probably needs you right now."  
She squeezed his hand and continued lowly,  
"Dick, please? For me? It's bad enough that I have to be cooped up in here. I don't want you to be too."  
He loved her strength. He loved her. As a friend, as a partner, and when he was younger he loved her as a sister. There was not a doubt in his mind that she felt the same way as he did...almost. He loved her more than just that and even though he will never admit it, to himself out loud or to anyone, he loved her as a woman.  
"'m feelin' ti'erd anyways..." Batgirl's voice had brought him out of his thoughts. He watched her eyes slowly close along with her consciousness. As she lightly started to snore, Nightwing smiled to himself,  
"Always know how to make a good impression, huh Babs?"  
He lightly kissed her head and left the room. She had been right earlier, the Team probably did need him for the next mission and to hear how Batgirl was doing.

"_Gee, I don't know Bruce. Gravity?"_

That night he had a short few hours to sleep and all of it had been plagued with horrible nightmares.  
"Well it's been a long time since you've came through my window." Barbara said from her bed and although her voice was calm, she had the most worried look on her face.  
"I'm sorry. It's just that-"  
"You wanted to make sure I was fine? Maybe I should be checking if you're fine."  
Nightwing took off his mask and slumped down onto her bed. His head hung and he ran his hands through his hair. Barbara scooted over to him so she could lay her forehead on his back and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.  
"It was that dream...of them. Except they didn't die because they fell, they were...shot."  
Barbara moved over and had him lay down. Wrapping her arms around him- despite the soreness of her shoulder- she started to run her fingers through his hair. He put his face into the crook of her neck and wrapped his own arms around her, sighing contently.  
"I'm sorry Dick, this is all my fault. I should have been more careful. Bruce is already having my suit redone. Even if the fabric will be heavier, he said it will be basically bullet proof."  
Dick smiled and kissed the base of Barbara's neck, making her blush heavily. He kissed her in the same spot again, but longer. She gasped and Dick moved up so that their foreheads touched. A little husky, she asked,  
"Dick, what are-"  
"Barbara," he said a little too loudly for the moment, "do you want to know why we fall?"  
Barbara gave him a confused look, which only made his smile widened.

_Batman gave a rare genuinely warm smile as he crouched to grab his son's shoulders. Robin's previously tense body relaxed, eager to hear what he had to say next._

Barbara felt a little speechless,  
"Well," she managed to say. "I don't really need you to tell me again. We already learned this in school."  
Dick chuckled,  
"That's not the kind of falling I'm talking about."  
"Dick, are you sure you're okay?"  
"Sure, Barbara. Just feeling the aster, that's all."  
He felt himself staring into her eyes, her beautiful blue eyes, and lightly grazing his lips above hers.  
"Do you want to know a secret?" He asked her, his warm breath washing over her face. She quietly gulped,  
"Yeah..."  
The whisper, the approval, gave him the access he needed. He kissed her lips, her arms moving from his sides to his neck. In the morning, they wouldn't talk about what they did or how far they went. In fact they wouldn't talk about it, only give each other knowing smiles and looks. From all his mistakes, he was sure this was the one that he had made the best outcome of.

"_Dick. Why do we fall?"  
Robin angrily looked away from the wall he had just punched and to his master's cold blue eyes.  
"Gee, I don't know Bruce. Gravity?"  
Batman gave a rare genuinely warm smile as he crouched to grab his son's shoulders. Robin's previously tense body relaxed, eager to hear what he had to say next.  
"We fall, so that we can learn to pick ourselves back up." _


End file.
